How Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Wheels are Cut into Wedges

October 31st, 2008 · Tags: Behind the Scenes · Discovering Food · Food · Italy

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In case you’ve never seen parmigiano cut open from its huge wheel, and wonder how they manage to cut it into such ragged and craggy wedges, I assure you it’s entirely on purpose. I took a break of eating samples at the Salone del Gusto to snap some pictures of the process in action.

First he scores the outside of the wheel into the size wedge desired.

Then the seal is broken on the rind with a deeper cut and the cheese wedge, aptly named, is inserted at a critical point midway towards the center of the cheese wheel.

Another wedge is used to cut the rear part of the cheese rind and the wedge breaks apart with all those lovely pockets and crags intact.

12 Comments

12 responses so far ↓

1
nyc/caribbean ragazza // Oct 31, 2008 at 10:57 am

sigh…you are killing me with these food posts and photos from Salone del Gusto. :)
2
anne // Oct 31, 2008 at 11:09 am

Now I know!!! thanks for photos, and info..interesting as I never knew what parmigiano looked like before it was cut. Never really thought about it, to tell the truth.
3
LuLu // Oct 31, 2008 at 12:08 pm

That has to be a skill…anytime I cut Parmigiano Reggiano it just crumbles. I looooove it though! :)
Thanks for the photos!
4
lieludalis // Oct 31, 2008 at 1:07 pm

My mouth is watering…
Thank you, I always wondered how my little wedge of perfect parmigiano was created from that enormous wheel of cheese.

PS: I bet it smelled amazing!
5
The Food Hunter // Oct 31, 2008 at 8:37 pm

very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
6
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) // Oct 31, 2008 at 8:37 pm

I’ve seen this done in market in Italy — it’s made me much more aware of how I cut cheese. Whenever possible, I break it — like splitting large boulders, only with better taste after all of that exertion!
7
Ms. Adventures in Italy // Nov 1, 2008 at 12:08 pm

There’s something about eating a fresh-cut chunk from these wheels – I love it when they leave the cheese wheel partly carved out and then they leave the wedge in there so you can carve out your own piece! :)
8
Megan // Nov 3, 2008 at 3:32 pm

YUUMMMMM! I’m heading into the kitchen now for a big slice of parmigiano. Your post made me hungry!
9
Loulou // Nov 3, 2008 at 4:46 pm

Oh I can just taste the nutty flavor!
What wonderful, mouth-watering photos.
10
Pia // Nov 3, 2008 at 5:53 pm

What a great event.
11
We Are Never Full // Nov 5, 2008 at 2:46 am

ahhh, those pictures bring a tear to my eye.
12
Marieke // Nov 5, 2008 at 9:38 pm

We have a saying in our family: ‘ With Parmigiano you can even make a brick taste nice’ .
I hope to see this wonderful scene live one day!